Making Sense of: Slumber partyv
by Colliewood
Summary: Paul and Lorcan have a sleep over special on Halloween night
1. Chapter 1

26, October

Lorcan's white grin shone out through the darkness, illuminated by the candles in the room decorated with macabre statuettes of demons and gargoyles, a black rug stained with a red pentagram big enough for someone to lay in. The sunlight clawed its way through the closed curtains. thin slits of light peering through to be snuffed out by the black interior. A dusty mirror hung on the wall gave the littlest trace of what was in the room, seemingly fogged from the other side.

"And now the only thing missing is paul..." The Irish man snickered to himself "This 'Making Sense of:' special episode will be great I can just tell." The light switched on illuminating the room making Lorcan squint slightly. The unused guest bedroom was redecorated in plastic Halloween decorations and tissue paper ghosts from the ceiling. It was the result of a quick trip to a Tesco costing him exactly 37.32 euros. The plan was that Paul would fly down for the week starting tomorrow and on Halloween they would Livestream so-called "Creepypastas". The mood had to be a perfect mix of creepy and goofy to entertain the fans; it was those fans who sent in the stories in and he was not prepared to disappoint.

"Paul should be boarding the plane right now, I better get some rest so I can meet him when he gets here." He said blowing out the candles and leaving the room.

27, October

As paul walked through the airport,dragging his suitcase behind him he heard a call and turn around to see Lorcan in the crowd waving him over.

"Logan! In the flesh after all this time" They hugged and laughed.

"No homo" Paul joked making them laugh again. "Come on. the car's waiting outside." and with that, they walked off to the car. The ride home was filled with catching up, despite being in contact over the internet the whole time it just felt like it had to be done.

Lorcan unpacked when they got home while paul admired the effort put into the recording room. Two sleeping bags were laid out on the floor in front of a wide screen TV that they would use to read the stories. Lorcan brought in the luggage bag filled with pauls clothes .

"Get comfortable, were gonna put out an episode tonight to prepare everyone for the special in a few days. You might wanna pick where you're sleeping in here first though" Lorcan said.

"We're sleeping here?" Paul asked in disbelief.

"Uh, I already have a bedroom for myself. if you don't want to there's always the couch in the living room" Lorcan mentioned setting up the computer as Paul examined the room and mentally decided that the living room was for him but didn't take the time to mention it. They recorded an episode reading Half-life: Full life consequences. despite not really understanding what was happening it was enjoyable. They finished the recording and the night with the reminder of the Halloween stream which was to be live streamed Halloween night and released as a regular podcast on the 1st of November.

"Don't miss it, This is gonna be the biggest event we've ever done!" Pauls low, deep, butterscotch radio voice vibrated through the microphone. The recording ended and the two chatted for a few more minutes before Lorcan wished him a good night and left to bed. Paul remembered he didn't actually mention he would sleep in the living room so he snuck out quickly after to sleep on the couch.

The day after they edited and published the episode before spending the evening at a pub enjoying some drinks.

29, October

"How about this one, mate?" Lorcan asked bringing over an arm full of sweets, the two were at Tesco buying candy for the trick or treaters who probably wouldn't be enough to finish this much candy Paul knew this and knew that your man would be eating it anyway, this didn't phase him however he was looking at his phone at the stories they would tell, Lorcan dumped his haul into the shopping cart regardless.

"The Hollow man" Paul mumbled to himself again reading the text. This wasn't a story like the others, it was more of a 'game'. The file that the anonymous fan sent in was instructions on how to play it, the only requirements to play was a house, a candle, and a pentagram, which Lorcan had already. Paul mumbled the title to himself again.

"What's that, paul?" Lorcan asked with a bag of Reese's peanut butter cups.

"Huh? don't you think this is more than enough candy, Lorlo?" Paul responded, diverting the question "How many kids around here even trick or treat?"

"Who says it's for them?" he smirked and shot him a wink before going back into the candy aisle. Paul returned the smirk but went back to reading 'The Hollow Man' again. He imagined playing the demented 'game', It was a twisted version of tag there where an entity known as 'The Hollow Man' would enter your house through the pentagram after reciting a specific spell and touch whoever spoke the words. The enchanter would then find themselves looking at their own body, moving without their own volition, The hollow man would inhabit their body while the original soul would be required to tag someone else to get back into a body. The game ends at dawn at which point if the hollow man is without a body, he would be banished from the house, however, if he has a body, the person who doesn't would instead be banished in his place.

Paul wasn't a paranoid man, but he was still afraid of this. It was a bad idea he thought but told himself that it would be a waste of everyone's time and would be good content for the show.

"We're ready to go! earth to Paul" Lorcan shouted ad a respectable volume for the public, snapping Paul out of his trance.

30, October

"Paul are you there?" Lorcan said knocking on the door to the recording room again. this time opening the door and entering. he had given paul enough time to get decent if he was even awake, and sure enough, there he was looking at his phone again " Paul, mate! tell me what's wrong you haven't said a word to me all day, are you feeling OK?"

Paul looked up blankly "What do you mean? you've been asleep.

"We have lunch ready by now man, you didn't come when I called for Breaky."

Paul blinked, his eyebrows furrowing "s-sorry..." he said putting away his phone with reluctant effort and left to go eat.

Paul remained relatively quiet over the meal of bangers and mash, before speaking up suddenly "Wanna go over the stories with me? just to weed out the bad ones know? before we start the show proper?"

"Mm, no need I already looked at them all, half of them were hand picked and the rest were listener requests that I looked at as well." He said mashed potatoes being mashed further in his mouth.

"Even... this one?" Paul forced himself to say, sliding his phone over with 'The Hollow Man" open Lorgan read it curiously.

"Hmm... no, where did you find this?" Lorcan asked and continued before getting an answer "This is great stuff we can do it together for the finale."

"Actually, I don't think we should."

"Oooh, what are you scared?" Paul made a mock crying face at him "You don't believe in this shit do you?" but Paul stayed quiet, continuing his meal

To Be Continued...


	2. Chapter 2

Halloween night

The dynamic Duo had been putting on their show for about two hours by now, "Man door hand hook car door," "Who was phone?", "ben drowned", "Russian sleep experiments", the whole 9 yards, sprinkling in some completely genuine paid sponsor ads. While the viewers enjoyed it, reading The hollow man was inevitable and Paul dreaded it.

"Haha... so this next one is kind of weird, it's called 'The Hollow Man' but it's not a story more like a game," Lorcan said, preparing the text.

"uh yeah, I don't know how creepy it is, though, so don't get your expectations too high" Paul chuckled trying to downplay the story when in reality the menacing vagueness combined with just the right details made it almost horrific. Paul read it while Lorcan jeered and made fun of Paul for being scared. really, though, his obsession scared him more than the details of the reading. they made it through the story and the audience loved it.

The Livestream ended a success in their eyes and they celebrated with a

post podcast pint before going to sleep. Lorcan slept quickly, oblivious to the restless night Paul was having. late into the night, a low voice woke Lorcan, it was mumbling something familiar, but foreign. Lorcan perked up at a sound, his eyes drawn toward a dim light by the door, there Paul had the candle in the middle of his prop pentagram, half way through the script of the spell, an awful smile plastered onto his face, bent over the light so it's the only thing illuminated.

"Paul... what are..." Lorcan had no words for this situation the spell wasn't real, why would he be doing this alone? But paul never stopped reading aloud. "come on, mate." Lorcan climbed out of his sleeping bag and over to the candle, which seemed to be burning brighter than the second before, unnoticeably just a feeling. He looked into Pauls' eyes but he didn't seem to notice. The last verse of the spell left his lips and the room seemed to darken or was that just Pauls phone turning off?

The silence was deafening in the moments that passed before Paul said in a lower voice than normal "I guess it has begun..." the comment was overshadowed by the candle lifting off the ground on its own.

"Paul what the fuck? is this a prank? you got me!" Lorcan sputtered through his clattering teeth as Paul stood to stare at the candle, silently. his face was the same but his expression was nothing Lorcan associated with paul in an indescribable way.

Suddenly the candle dropped to the ground rolling toward Lorcan and paul fell back as if shoved. "Oof! L-lorlo fucking... don't get close to that candle!"

"Paul?" Lorcan questioned the validity of the man's identity, but followed instructions, scrambling over to him. "What in the hell is going on?"

Lorcan stood up and rushed to the door, swinging it open "I don't know but we have to get out of here, th-the hollow man!" Paul wasted no time standing and crawled out the door, having it slammed behind him.

"Okay so... I needed to know if it was real, and it was! I...I picked up the candle and saw myself say that thing. I wasn't me! and it's in there now!" Pauls explanation went over Lorcan's head completely, the fear jumbling his words before they could reach his brain. Then, suddenly the door handle twisted, making the two jump back against the far wall as it creaked open, the candle floating on the other side.

"Fuck this!" Lorcan shouted and scrambled to his feet rushing to the left. the candle moving into the hall cutting of Paul from following him. He backed up slowly as the candle moved closer to him.

Lorcan was in his room, panting. It wasn't a hard run but the panic made his breath run out quickly. He felt he was safe from whatever it was in the hall but felt guilty for abandoning Paul there. It's his fault for bringing that thing in here anyways. The Silence crept in as he caught his breath, not even any footsteps were heard in the house, had the candle bearer caught Lorcan again?

What felt like hours passed, but the sun never rose, the minute's hand on the clock hardly moved, and Lorcan knew something had to be done. He stood up and steeled himself, preparing to open the door and investigate.

SLAM!

The Door flew open hard, making Lorcan shout and jump backward into his bed. Paul rushed in and closed the door "Lorlo, I got away from it! get up" He went to help him up.

"What the fuck man? don't do that shit!" Lorcan said but was shushed by Paul

"Not so loud, it's slow but it can hear really well." Paul crouched back to the wall "When it comes in we have to lure it in and go around it to run off." The other man nodded, taking in the information. the tension hardly had time to build before the hall lit up from the candle, a whisper from a draft blew into the room as the candle came into view. Lorcan gulped and refused the urge to panic and run, letting it come into the room and dodging around it with Paul, running out. They made it to the kitchen and stopped to gather their senses.

"Okay Lorlo, we just have to do this back and forth until the sun rises," he said, but Lorcan just looked at him, his eyebrows furrowed "Lorlo? is something wrong?"

"What's my name?"

"What?

"Say my fucking name."

"Lorlo! come on mate don't be weird" The candle shone at them again from outside the room "Get ready we have to do this again" Paul said and got ready to run, but when he took his first step he was held in place by Lorcan "What are you doing?!"

"My name is not Lorcan!" he shouted and wrestled him, Paul shook him free but just stumbled into the candle, knocking it back onto the floor.

"Lorcan!" paul said overjoyed hurrying over into the corner with him "You knew?"

"Of course, you wouldn't call me Lorlo in such a serious situation" He nodded, watching the candle lift up again "What now?"

"Well if we leave the house completely maybe we'll be home free." They nodded, knowing how to avoid The Hollow Man now, they dodged around him and made for the front door. Trying the knob they found it locked, "Shit, the key" Paul said going through his jacket hanging on the wall, Lorcan looked and saw the candle appear around a corner and start toward them.

"Hurry up..."

"I am!" Paul put the key into the hole and attempted to twist it, "It's jammed?!" He kept at the lock until they were cornered, backs against the wall, Paul closed his eyes "I'll make it back, be safe" he said, walking forward between Lorcan and the evil entity, grasping the candle for a moment before dropping in and feinting. Lorcan knew this meant that paul wasn't himself anymore and dashed over the body to hide, leaving the scene behind him.

He made it to the bathroom, trying to lock the door when he heard footsteps rushing at him. The lock clicking shut was followed by a slam as Pauls body was thrown against the door, followed by another one. Lorcan backed up against the tub, horrified.

"Let... Me... IN!" The possessed body shouted between thumps, finally, the screws holding the deadbolt in place came flying off and let Lorcan into the room, panting and furious he jumped on Lorcan. Laughing he closed his hands around his neck, tightly, shutting down his arteries and airflow "You... fucking... wildcard! I won't let you stop me!" Lorcan kicked and punched, battering Pauls body wildly. coughing as he felt his vision fading, through murky eyes he saw the room lit up, and he chuckled as Paul reclaimed his own body, and released his friend.

"Thank god!" Lorcan coughed and felt his neck, it was going to bruise if we were to make it out of this, The two rushed out through the broken door.

"Holy fuck man, you kicked the shit out of me!" paul chuckled and smirked, bruises growing on his face and body as his eye started to swell. "It's not easy switching bodies, don't try it. shit hurts."

Lorcan chuckled "just remind me not to piss you off." This moment of victory was cut short by the candle going on by, but it kept going past them, into the recording room.

"come on, I have something that could help in the living room," Paul said sneaking through the house to his luggage

"I thought your stuff was in the recording room?" Lorcan whispered and followed.

"eh... yeah that was way too creepy, I've been sleeping in here but kept sleepwalking in there before I wake up" He explained and made it to his bags, opening it and pulling out a pair of socks.

"What's that for man?" Lorcan asked as Paul dropped spare batteries in the sock and went looking for anything else heavy to put in.

"If that thing gets me again, just fucking club me, a headache is better than being a ghost" Paul explained handing the sock club to his friend.

They sat for a minute in suspense, ready for the hollow man to come back, after long enough where he didn't turn the corner they suspected something. paul mentioned something about the smell and when Lorcan checked the air, he could smell it too, something burning...

"Holy shit he's trying to smoke us out, or burn us out I don't know!" Paul said panicking, rushing to the source of the smell, Lorcan followed closely behind and noticed the recording room was bright and smokey. As they approached the door they noticed every candle in the room was lit and burning bright, the original candle they used in the ritual was nowhere to be seen. "shit we have to put this out!" Paul shouted and rushed into the room, but before Lorcan could follow the door slammed closed, the doorknob jammed making it impossible for him to go in and save him.

Shouting and struggling ensued within the room, Lorcan could hear furniture being knocked over and voices cursing as he threw himself against the door, if the bathroom could be broken into surely this could as well.

Thump... Thump... Crack!

The door swung open and he saw the state of the room, random fires were burning on curtains and carpets, Lorcan saw paul glance at him for a split moment before noticing the candle in front of his face, next thing he knew he was thrust out of the room and hit the back wall, his eyes closed shut in pain, but he could still see. In fact, he could see himself, clear as day, standing in the doorway, leaning against the door frame. He lifted himself painfully off the ground as his body shut the door and closed the distance to Paul.

Lorcan somehow knew that the candle was his only hope of getting his body back, anybody back. he swung the door open seeing Paul and himself wrestling on the ground, battering each other as he picked up the candle, glancing at the window to see the cloudy sky getting brighter when he realized; if the sun is up before he's in a body. that body will belong to the hollow man.

"Lorcan help me!" Said Paul, but when he glanced back it was His own body asking for help.

"Fuck that! he's trying to trick you" said the voice from pauls own body. Lorcan's stomach twisted in knots as he realized that he couldn't tell which was the real one. would Paul possess Lorcan's body just to save his own life? The sky was getting brighter and he knew he would be better off just picking someone and making sure later. he lunged into the two squabbling men and found himself with a physical form

"Fuck this room lets get out of here!" he shouted, pulling his partner by the arm through the door and back into the living room, panting.

"You believed me..." Paul said, and as Lorcan looked up he stared himself in the eyes as if he were looking through a mirror. and gulped

"That is you, right paul?" he asked desperately as the candle floated around the corner and they both had to back themselves up against a wall, "should we try and get out bodies back?" paul looked out the window and they both realized if they were going to do this it would have to be a quick game. suddenly paul rushed forward, grabbing the candle and trying to free it

"Lorcan thank god you're alright!" The new inhabitant of his body said it was short lived though when the candle went for Lorcan. he flinched but knew the plan and took it out of the air, finding himself bodiless once again. "Wait... what are you doing?" Lorcan's body said backing up to the far wall, Lorcan almost felt guilty doing this but he rushed forward, slamming himself into the wall and into his own body.

"Haha yes!" Paul said, kicking the candle down the hall, "any second now and we'll be home free!" But Lorcan still felt wrong, if this wasn't the real paul talking, he was dooming his best friend to... he couldn't say what would happen to him.

But the moment was too late, the sun peaked up over the horizon and every open flame in the house was snuffed out immediately.

Nothing was ever really the same, people complained that paul acted weirdly, but they said the same about Lorcan. And they both went to therapy, careful not to say anything damning, no one wants to be seen as crazy. They kept in touch but not as much as before. Lorcan still wonders if he made the right choice.


End file.
